Flashlight shield



Nov. 2, 1943. E. K. -MADAN FLASH- LIGHT SHIELD Filed Feb. 15, 1942 Edward K. Mada/7 lNVN R ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1943 STATES 1 2,333,541

ELASHLIGHT SHIELD;

Edward-KiMadan, Maplewood; N. J 2 Application February- 13, 1942, ,SerialNo: 430,727

' (Cl. 240I0:6)

2'? Claims.

This: inventiomrelates to: flash-lights, andimore, particularly to' a shield: for; placement over a: flash-light lens to renderrthe: flashi-light useful;

during:.b1ack-out periods.

permissible during bl'a'okt-out. periods;

flash-light.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means which willfirmly and securelyhold the closure tightly in.positionto prevent-escape of non-subdued light-when theclosure isin.

closed position over the opening. in theshield A further object of .the present invention. is to;

provide a lens shield for flash lights, which. may be easily and permanently attached to. a flashlight overcoming the inconveniences of the type of lens shield which must be placed; over the lens during black-cu periods and completely removed to permitordinary use of the fiashelight.

Another object of" the present invention is to provide a lens shield as specified which includes a fiat rim portion for insertion between a flash light lens and its retaining rim, which shield has a raised or ofiset portion carrying the closure member for the opening in the shield, which raised or offset portion of the shield permits the closure member to be freely moved into open or closed position without distortion being caused by its engagement with the rim of the lens retainer of the flash-light and also prevents binding of the pivot or hinge of the closure member with the resultant disruption of the closure.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a flash-light shield as specified which readily lends itself to the use of identifyin indicia, in that suitable indicia to indicate the rank or position of the user may be imprinted or otherwise placed upon the closure member in such manner that it will be clearly visible when the closure member is in closed position and the entire light of the flash-light is subdued to permit only sufiicient transmission of light for close vision, such as will come within black-cu regulations.

With these and other objects in view, as may ppear f om. accompa y ng spec a onz the invention.- consistsi a ouswfeatures of construction; and combination of1parts, which;will;be first described inconnection with; the accompanying:

- drawing; showing; a. flash-light shield; of the-p re-.

ferred for-m embodying the; invention, and the features: forming the inventiomwill be specifically pointedout in-the claims;

In the drawing: I Figure? l. is; a fragmentary view of a flash -light, partly in section, showingthe improved shield; attached thereto. 7 a

F gure 2, isa plan. view of the shield, showing the closure member. in closed, position,

Figure 3. is a. plan view of theshi l h win the closure member in: open. position.

Figure; 4 isan enlarged detail, section taken on. the line 4,-4l of Figuret2.

Figure-513a plan view of. a, modified form of.

Referring more particularly to. the drawing,

indicates a flash-li ht ofany approvedv ns t ction, hich. inclu es: a lens, 2, held n. p a e, by ans f the removable ap 3... he. annu ar i 4 of the, cap 3 forms a binding rim for holding the lens 2 in. place. 7

e p ed lens shield, ich s ada ted to. convert. t fiashre 'sht int n usab e d r g ckt" p-eriodsh mnr se a ma n, bo d c l0., constructed oi Celluloid or any other suitable material, which may be translucent or even opaque, if so desired The disc H! has a fiat annular rim H which, when the shield is attached to the flash-light I, is engaged by the rim 4 and the lens 2 so that when the cap 3 is threaded upon the main body of the, flash-light, the shield is securely and permanently held in place over the lens 2.

Owing to the fact that flash-lights have difierent diameters, and to provide a commercial article which may be made in quantities for use with flash-lights of various diameters, the flat rim H is provided with concentric scored lines or circles l2, spaced at predetermined distances from .the perimeter of the disc, for-use as indicia to assist in the cutting down of the overall diameter of the disc to fit the particular fiash-light with which it is to be used.

The central portion Moi the disc III is raised or ofiset laterally from the rim l I, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawing, for accommodation of lenses having convex outer surfaces, and also to position the outer face of the raised or laterally oifset portion I4 beyond the outermost surface of the rim 4. The offset or raised portion I 4 is preferably circular and concentric of the perimeter of the disc proper and is provided with a central opening I5 for permitting unimpeded transmission of light from the flash-light through the disc, allowing the flash-light to be used for the ordinary purposes for which flash-lights are employed. A closure member I6 in the form of a flat disc is provided for closing the opening I5 during black-out periods. This closure member I6 is formed of translucent material and in the forms shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing inclusive, the member I6 is pivotally connected, by means of a pivot pin H, to the raised portion I4 of the disc I0 so that it may be swung outwardly from its position overtheopening 'I5-when desired. By provision" of theraised o'r offset portion I I the closure memberlfi will be permitted to swing into open or closed position without coming into-engagement with the lens'binding rim '4 and consequently distortion will be avoided. The raised portion also provides alccornrnodation for the inner end of the rivet orpin I'I, preventing its contact with the lens 2. I

Stop means are provided for Iimiti'n'gthe closing movement of the member I6. This stop means is very. simple in construction, consisting of a tongue I8 out from the mainbody of the disc Io atone side of a center-linepassing through the centers of the opening I 5 and of the pivot pin I1. The tongue I8 isoflsetputwardly from the offset portion I4 of' the discdfl so" that when the closure member I6 is swungliritoclosed'position it will be engaged beneath the'to'ngue I8 and, against the laterally. extending back portion l9 of the tongue, which will prevent furthermovernent of the closure member I5 beyond its "closed position. The tongue I8 has its radially. egcterrding portion spaced from .the. outer surface j the raised or offset portion I4 of the disc lll'a' sufiicient distance only to receive the closure membertherebeneath for firmly gripping and holding the closurelmemb'er fiat against-the,raisedportionv I4 to prevent accidental transmissionor light when the closure member I6 is inclos'ed position. I

If it is 'sodesired, the'main bofdyfofthe shield, that is, the. rim I I and'the raised-on'oifset portion I4, may be opaque, and only the closure member l6 translucent, or thelrevrs'e may be. employed, that is, .the closureimemberm'ay be opaque and the main body of the shield translucent, depending upon the desires of the user."

The construction .of the shield lends itself readily to the employment of indicating ,m'arkings. such as the various official designations of rank of theArmy and Navy; or various civilian services, as

air raid wardens, etc.; which indicia may be imprinted or otherwise placed in contrasting and preferably opaque manner upon the closure disc I S When-the disc is translucent, so that when the disc is in :closed --position and the flash-light turned on,-the subdued light will have atendency toaccentuate the insignia or indicia printed upon the disc. In instances where the closure member I6 is opaque, the indicia may be translucent.

I'n'Figures5 andfi of the,-drawing,-a slightly modifiedform of the: improved shieldisshown. In this form the main body or-discifl of'the lens shield is provided with thelscored markings l2; as

in the preferred form. However, the disc 20 is flat and does not have a raised portion. It is provided with a central opening 2 l, which is closed by means of a closure member 22. The member 22 lies flush with the surface of the disc 20, when it. is in closed position, fitting within the opening 2| snugly, and it swings outwardly from the disc 20' on a hinge 23, when opened. While the closure 22 is shown as hinged to the disc 20, it is understood that it may be pivoted thereto, as shown in Figures 1 to. 4 of the drawing, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Figures '7 and 8 of the drawing show a still further modified construction of the invention, and in thisform the shield comprises the main disc 30, which has; an annular rim 3|, adapted to be engaged beneath the lens confining rim of a flash-light. In this form the portion of the disc 38 surrounding the central opening therein is turned laterally, preferably at. right angles to the rini'3l of thdisc, as shown at 32 in'Figure 7 of the drawing; and the closure member 1-33 'for closing the opening may have edgewise engagement with the turned portion 32, or its downturned rim '34 may be of such diameter as to overlap the outturned portion 32 of the disc. The 'closurememb'er33' is shown attached by means-of a hinge 34 to the main disc so that it may be swung outwardly into open position to permit use'of the flash-lightas an ordinary fiashlightg -Whi1e the closure '33 is 'sh0Wn hinged to the disc; it is: to beundersto'od that it may be otherwisesuitably-connectedto the disc, as in the niahn'eri'shownin'Figuresl to 4-01 the drawin'g, without departingf'from the'spirit of the present invention.

in' th'e drawing and above'described; a shield has been? provided fiaeh-iliglft-lehses which will permit e fsubduingpf the light-emitted by the has 7 lght to jmeet the requirements of bl q irqutif r 'ulai ns; bu which W111v permit the flashdiglit to: bequikly and easily converted for use as an ordin'ary flash-light, and that there are noj separate parts to beput on} and taken oif of the flash-light ,tofchange it from black-out use tq-ordinaryuse'; all parts being'permanently carried.bylthefiaslrlight.

Itfwillb'e, understood that the invention is not tojb'e ited 'to' thegspecific construction or arrang'er'rientlof parts shown,-. but that they may be widely modifiedyvithincthe invention defined by thejc'l'ai'msl. f I I What is-claimedis:

1. The combination witha flash-light including a lens anda lens retainer embodying a lens rim of'a lens-shield including a disc for mounting over: the lens and being of such sizethat its rim portion will f t-between a lens and the rim of the lensretainer, the main body of said lens shield inwardly of its rim being offset laterally to extend outwardly of the outermost portion of the lens retaining rim, said offset portion provided withia centrally disposed opening therein to permit transmission of unsubdued light, a closure member pivotally connected to said disc for movement into andout of closing portion of said opening, a tongue out from said disc and offset: laterallywtherefrom for overhanging engagement with'the edge of the closure member for holding it tightly in fiat,;engagement with x center of-th'e; openingand the pivotal actionof the closure member so as to form a. stop for limiting the closing movement of the closure member.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a lens masking shield for flash lights comprising a disc of such diameter as to fit over a flash light lens, said disc being provided with a raised portion lying within the perimeter of the disc, said raised portion being provided with an opening for the passage of light rays from the flash light, a closure member pivotally connected with said raised portion for movement into and out of closing position with respect to said opening, said closure member lying flatwis against said raised portion, a tongue out from said disc and ofiset laterally therefrom for overhanging engagement with an edge of said closure member when the latter is moved to a position for closing said opening, said tongue being so arranged as to hold the closure member tightly against said raised portion, said tongue being located to one side of a straight line intersecting the pivotal axis of the closure member and the axis of said opening to provide a stop for limiting the closing movement of the closure member.

EDWARD K. MADAN. 

